Reviews

Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne

patsypoo's review against another edition

2.0

Super dull! I'm actually surprised it only took me a week to read it as it felt like a lot longer...
I didn't give a flying f*ck about Emily, her reasoning for acting as she did was juvenile and silly and the big reveal... Prrrfffttt! It was so damn lazy that I couldn't believe I'd read it right.
Skip this one and thank me later...

cathlin's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

teffin's review against another edition

4.0

Really beautiful writing and good plot, looking forward to finding more books by Tanya Byrne

jerihurd's review against another edition

3.0

That's a generous three, because it certainly kept me reading, as long as I didn't stop to think too much about the plot, which was some odd combination of Gaslight meets every teen revenge book you've ever read. At best it pushes incredulity to the breaking point: A teenage daughter of gangster father, who has been Polly Purebred to this point suddenly, due to (unmentioned spoiler) turns Tony Soprano?

Moreover, people who declare this is a study of sociopathy/psychopathy seriously need to look up the definition. She's not even close, given she was TOTALLY NORMAL up to the *the event*.

And I won't even get to said event, which was so heavily signaled, it was completely underwhelming once it happened.

But, then, my old-fart HS librarian self is not the intended audience; I doubt my older, more discerning readers would enjoy this all that much; but 9th and 10th graders? Probably so.

snowflaked23's review against another edition

4.0

I didn't expect this book to be so gripping, I read it on holiday and it was really really really good. I loved the depth of Emily's character, the description of her life falling apart and he innocence being ripped from her. I didn't expect where it was going, so that was a nice surprise. Well, maybe not *nice* but still.
8/10, would recommend.

sjklass's review against another edition

3.0

18yr old Emily Koll has done something very bad and she's in a London prison for serious juvenile offenders, awaiting trial. Through her sessions with her counsellor and flash-backs of events, the nature of her crime is slowly revealed. A dark, tense thriller.

neenor's review against another edition

4.0

This book was so good - I cried like a baby, especially towards the end. I can't believe I've never read any of her books before. Emily was the perfect blend between Alaska Young, Katniss Everdeen, and Sam from Perks.

readwithjordss's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

marryallthepeople's review

1.0

Can't get into it. I liked the back story but hte story about the girls in the ward seemed to jump all over the place too much for me.

katiejreads's review against another edition

4.0

I want to give this book 5 stars, but for some reason I can't.
so 4.5 stars.
It was SO easy to read, (it took me two or so hours) and yet uncomfortable to read all at the same time. I loved Emily, loved her. And I wanted her to "get better" but then I was never sure she wanted to get better.
I wanted her to leave Emily behind and be Rose and be friends with Nancy but part of me wanted to see her get revenge on Juliet.
A very good read.